8 best WhatsApp CRMs for small businesses in 2026
Compare eight WhatsApp CRMs by AI replies, follow-ups, pricing and the plan that actually includes WhatsApp.
Visito Team
Visito
If you want an AI agent that answers WhatsApp messages, qualifies the lead and follows up when they go quiet, start with Visito. It's free to try, and it puts the CRM and the agent in one place. If your team already replies quickly and just needs a pipeline, Kommo is the most WhatsApp-focused CRM here. If your company already runs on HubSpot, add WhatsApp there instead of buying another tool.
The other five each fit a specific kind of team. Pipedrive suits B2B sales with longer deals, Wati suits broadcast-heavy WhatsApp teams, respond.io suits high volume across many channels, Leadsales suits Mexican SMBs, and Zoho CRM suits companies already in the Zoho ecosystem.
Quick summary
| # | CRM | Best for | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visito | AI that replies, qualifies and follows up | Free plan; WhatsApp from $49/month |
| 2 | Kommo | Sales pipelines built around chat | $25/user/month, 6-month minimum |
| 3 | HubSpot | Teams already running on HubSpot | WhatsApp needs a Professional plan |
What is a WhatsApp CRM?
A WhatsApp CRM connects your WhatsApp Business number to customer records and a sales pipeline. Your whole team works from one number, every chat is saved to the right contact, and leads stop getting lost in someone's personal phone.
There are now two kinds. Most WhatsApp CRMs organize conversations that a person still has to answer. A few also include an AI agent that answers for you, asks the qualifying questions and moves the lead along the pipeline. Which kind you need depends on one question: are leads slipping because nobody tracks them, or because nobody replies in time?
Why listen to us?
Visito publishes this guide and is one of the eight products in it. You should know that before you trust our ranking. We put Visito first for businesses that want an AI agent and CRM together on the entry paid plan. We also say plainly where the other seven are the better choice.
Our proof comes from customers. Departamento Studio Bar in Mexico City uses Visito to handle more than 80% of its reservation requests across WhatsApp and Instagram, so the team can focus on artists, events and guests. You can read the full customer story.
How we compared these tools
We checked each vendor's pricing page, help center and product pages on October 13, 2026. We looked at five things:
- Official WhatsApp connection. Does it use the WhatsApp Business Platform, or rely on unofficial WhatsApp Web automation? A QR code alone doesn't tell you: official coexistence onboarding can use one too.
- Who writes the reply. Does the AI answer customers on its own, or only suggest replies to your team?
- Which plan includes WhatsApp. The entry price often doesn't include it.
- Follow-ups and qualification. Can it chase leads that go quiet and sort serious buyers from browsers?
- Public pricing. A price counts only if you can see it without filling in a form.
Prices are in USD, before taxes and separate messaging charges. Meta fees and provider markups depend on message type, destination and vendor. Annual rates are labeled explicitly.
Full comparison of the 8 WhatsApp CRMs
One pattern stands out: on most of these tools, the AI that replies to customers costs more than the entry plan.
| CRM | Best fit | AI that replies to customers | Plan that includes WhatsApp | Other channels | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visito | Businesses that want AI to reply, qualify and follow up | Included on every plan | Starter, $49/month | Instagram, Messenger, website chat | Free; Starter $49/month |
| Kommo | Sales teams working leads in chat | AI agents from Advanced, $35/user/month | Base, $25/user/month | Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, Telegram | $25/user/month, 6-month minimum |
| HubSpot | Companies already on HubSpot | Breeze customer agent with eligible plans and HubSpot Credits | Marketing Hub or Service Hub Professional | Email, live chat, Messenger | Professional or Enterprise; total depends on configuration |
| Pipedrive | B2B sales teams with longer deals | No customer-facing agent | Growth beta, $39/seat/month annually; check availability | Email; Messenger via marketplace | Lite $14/seat/month annually |
| Wati | WhatsApp-first teams running broadcasts | Astra AI agents, sold as an add-on | Growth, $69/month | Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, website widget | $69/month, or $59/month annually |
| respond.io | High-volume teams across many channels | From Growth, with AI credit limits | Starter, $79/month billed annually | Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, email, more | $79/month billed annually |
| Leadsales | Mexican SMBs selling on WhatsApp and Instagram | Lead Agent, $87/month after a free first month | Profesional, $133/month | Instagram, Messenger | $97/month for 3 users |
| Zoho CRM | Companies already using Zoho | Not part of the native messaging integration | All paid editions; trial also supported | Email, phone, social | Free for 3 users; Standard $14/user/month annually |
The 8 best WhatsApp CRMs
1. Visito: best for AI that replies, qualifies and follows up
Visito is built for businesses where a customer message can turn into a sale. Its AI agent learns from your website, PDFs and documents, then answers on WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and your website. It asks the questions your team would ask, follows up when someone stops replying, and hands the chat to a person whenever it should.
In October 2026, Visito added a CRM to the same product. You set up your pipeline stages, and the agent moves each lead along as the conversation progresses. Your team works from one shared inbox and steps in when needed.
Key features
- AI agent that replies 24/7 in 100+ languages
- Automatic follow-ups when a lead goes quiet
- AI CRM that sorts leads by buying intent
- Live prices, availability and payments in chat through integrations
- One inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and website chat
Pricing. The free plan covers website chat with 100 credits a month. Starter costs $49/month and adds WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, 5 users and automatic follow-ups. Pro costs $399/month and adds WhatsApp marketing campaigns and payments. Credits pay for AI replies and actions; messages from customers and replies from your team are free. See pricing.
Pros
- The AI agent and CRM come on the entry paid plan
- You can build and test an agent before talking to sales
- Works across all four main messaging channels
Cons
- Email isn't supported yet
- Payments and WhatsApp campaigns need the Pro plan
- Not built for long B2B cycles with email sequences
2. Kommo: best for sales pipelines built around chat
Kommo is a CRM designed around messaging. Each conversation becomes a lead card you drag across pipeline stages, and you can build no-code bots to answer common questions. It connects to the official WhatsApp API from the Base plan.
The catch is in the plans. Base gives you AI reply suggestions for your team, but AI agents that answer customers on their own start on Advanced. Kommo also doesn't offer monthly billing: the minimum is 6 months.
Key features
- Visual pipeline with conversations attached to each lead
- No-code Salesbot builder
- Broadcasts and no-code bots from Advanced
- Up to 3 AI agents on Advanced, 50 on Pro
Pricing. Base is $25/user/month, Advanced is $35 and Pro is $45, billed for at least 6 months. Each plan includes AI credits per user. There's a 14-day free trial.
Pros
- Strong pipeline built for chat sales
- Official WhatsApp API on the entry plan
- Large partner network to help with setup
Cons
- No monthly billing
- AI that replies to customers starts on Advanced
- Setup takes real time if you want automations
3. HubSpot: best for teams already running on HubSpot
If your marketing and sales already live in HubSpot, connecting WhatsApp there keeps every conversation next to the rest of the customer record. Messages land in HubSpot's shared inbox, and you can send WhatsApp templates from workflows.
The native WhatsApp channel needs Marketing Hub or Service Hub on a Professional or Enterprise plan. If you're on the free CRM or Starter, you'll need a third-party connector instead. HubSpot's Breeze customer agent can also answer on WhatsApp with an eligible subscription and HubSpot Credits.
Key features
- WhatsApp in HubSpot's conversations inbox
- WhatsApp messages inside HubSpot workflows
- Full contact history next to every chat
- Deep marketing, sales and service tools
Pricing. Native WhatsApp requires Marketing Hub or Service Hub Professional or Enterprise. The total depends on the hub, seats, marketing contacts where applicable, onboarding and AI credits; get the full cost for your configuration.
Pros
- Everything stays in one CRM
- Very strong reporting and automation
- Huge app marketplace
Cons
- WhatsApp isn't available on free or Starter plans
- Expensive for a small team that mainly sells on chat
- AI customer-agent usage requires HubSpot Credits
4. Pipedrive: best for B2B sales teams with longer deals
Pipedrive is a sales CRM for small businesses. Its native WhatsApp integration connects through the WhatsApp Business API and links chats to deals and contacts. It is still in beta on Growth and above, so availability must be checked in your account.
It's a good fit when WhatsApp is one channel among several and the deal involves calls, emails and proposals. Pipedrive's AI helps your reps with reports, emails and meeting notes, but it doesn't reply to customers on WhatsApp.
Key features
- WhatsApp chats linked to deals and contacts
- Templates prefilled with CRM data
- Email sync, sequences and automations from Growth
- Meeting notes and AI-built reports
Pricing. Lite is $14/seat/month billed annually. WhatsApp starts on Growth at $39/seat/month billed annually. There's a 14-day free trial.
Pros
- Clean pipeline that sales teams pick up fast
- Official WhatsApp integration built by Pipedrive
- Over 500 integrations
Cons
- WhatsApp isn't on the Lite plan
- No AI agent that answers customers
- Message history only syncs from the day you connect
5. Wati: best for WhatsApp-first teams running broadcasts
Wati is one of the best-known WhatsApp Business API platforms for small businesses. It gives you a shared team inbox, a no-code chatbot builder, broadcast campaigns and click-to-WhatsApp ads. Contact management and tags cover basic CRM needs.
It's more of a WhatsApp inbox than a full CRM. If you want deals and pipelines, you'd likely connect it to HubSpot or another CRM. Its AI agents, called Astra, are sold as a separate add-on.
Key features
- Official WhatsApp API setup with no setup fee
- Shared inbox with assignment and tags
- Broadcasts and no-code chatbots
- Instagram, Messenger and TikTok in the same inbox
Pricing. Growth is $69/month and includes 3 users, with no option to add more. Pro is $149/month with 5 users, and Business is $349/month. Annual billing lowers these to $59, $119 and $279. Message fees are billed on top at Wati's rates.
Pros
- Strong broadcast and campaign tools
- Easy to get the official API running
- 7-day free trial
Cons
- Light on CRM features like pipelines and deals
- AI agents cost extra
- Growth plan can't add a fourth user
6. respond.io: best for high-volume teams across many channels
respond.io is a messaging platform with a built-in CRM for teams handling thousands of conversations a month. It covers WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok, email and more, with routing rules that send each chat to the right person.
Growth and Advanced pricing scales with monthly active contacts, and additional users can also cost extra. That can work well for larger teams, but contact volume and seat limits both affect your bill.
Key features
- Omnichannel inbox with routing and assignment
- Lead qualification and appointment booking
- AI agents from Growth, with included credits and usage limits
- WhatsApp Business calling
Pricing. With annual billing, Starter is $79/month, Growth starts at $159/month and Advanced at $279/month. AI agents start on Growth. There is a 7-day free trial; check contact allowances, additional-user costs and AI credit overages.
Pros
- Handles high volume across many channels
- Strong routing for bigger teams
- Detailed reporting
Cons
- Active-contact tiers and additional-user fees make the total harder to predict
- More setup than a small team usually needs
7. Leadsales: best for Mexican SMBs selling on WhatsApp and Instagram
Leadsales is a Mexican CRM built for teams that sell through chat. Conversations sit in kanban-style columns, so you can see at a glance which leads are new, quoted or closed. It's simple to learn, and the team speaks your customers' language.
Check the plan carefully. The Básico plan doesn't use the official WhatsApp API and doesn't include campaigns. The API, campaigns and the Lead Agent AI start on Profesional.
Key features
- Kanban pipelines for chat leads
- WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger in one place
- Official WhatsApp API and campaigns from Profesional
- Lead Agent AI to reply, qualify and follow up
Pricing. Básico is $97/month with 3 users, Profesional is $133/month with 4 users, and Avanzado is $247/month with 5 users. Lead Agent is free for the first month, then starts at $87/month.
Pros
- Built for how Mexican SMBs sell
- Very easy to learn
- No long contract
Cons
- Official API not on the entry plan
- AI agent costs extra after the first month
- One WhatsApp number per account
8. Zoho CRM: best for companies already using Zoho
Zoho CRM is a full sales CRM with a large ecosystem of connected apps for email, books, desk and more. If you already use Zoho, adding WhatsApp keeps chats next to your leads, contacts and deals.
Zoho's help center confirms native WhatsApp support in the trial and all paid CRM editions. It isn't included in the free edition. The native messaging integration doesn't itself provide an autonomous WhatsApp agent, so plan on your team replying unless you add another automation product.
Key features
- WhatsApp chats logged on leads, contacts and deals
- Workflow automation and lead scoring
- Deep connection to other Zoho apps
- Free plan for up to 3 users
Pricing. Zoho CRM has a free plan for 3 users. Standard starts at $14/user/month billed annually, or $20/user/month billed monthly. Native WhatsApp is supported in all paid editions, with messaging charges separate.
Pros
- Low cost per user
- Fits companies already on Zoho
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Native WhatsApp isn't included in the free edition
- Setup is more technical than chat-first tools
- The native WhatsApp integration alone doesn't include an autonomous AI agent
How to choose
Start with where leads get lost. If messages arrive at night, on weekends or faster than your team can answer, you need AI that replies. Visito is the most direct fit, and Kommo or Leadsales can get you there on their higher plans.
If your team already replies quickly but deals fall through the cracks afterward, a pipeline is enough. Kommo is the strongest chat-first option, and Pipedrive works well when deals also run through email and calls.
If you already pay for HubSpot or Zoho, add WhatsApp there before buying something new. And if you run thousands of conversations across many channels, look at respond.io.
Before you sign, ask every vendor for the same four numbers:
- The monthly price for your team size, per user or per contact
- The cheapest plan that includes WhatsApp on the official API
- What the AI that replies to customers costs on top
- How Meta's message fees are billed
Frequently asked questions
What is the best CRM for WhatsApp?
It depends on who answers the messages. If you want AI to reply and follow up, start with Visito. If your team replies and needs a pipeline, Kommo or Pipedrive. If you're already on HubSpot, use its native WhatsApp channel.
Is there a free CRM for WhatsApp?
The free CRM plans here don't include the native WhatsApp channel. Visito's free plan covers website chat; WhatsApp starts on Starter at $49/month. Zoho CRM is free for 3 users, but native WhatsApp requires a paid edition. Most others offer a free trial instead.
Do I need the WhatsApp Business API to use a CRM?
For a CRM integration with automation, the official WhatsApp Business Platform is the standard route. The WhatsApp Business app also supports linked devices for basic team use. A QR code isn't proof that a connection is unofficial: official coexistence can use QR onboarding too. Ask which API and onboarding flow the provider uses.
Can a WhatsApp CRM reply to customers automatically?
Yes. Rule-based bots can send scripted answers; an AI agent can handle more flexible questions. Visito includes an AI agent on every plan, with WhatsApp from Starter. Kommo, Wati, Leadsales and respond.io offer agents on higher plans or as add-ons. HubSpot's customer agent can answer WhatsApp messages using HubSpot Credits. Pipedrive and Zoho CRM's native messaging integrations primarily support your team's replies.
Can I connect WhatsApp to the CRM I already use?
Usually, yes. HubSpot, Pipedrive and Zoho CRM all connect to WhatsApp, though often only on paid or higher plans. Check which plan you need before you upgrade.
Which WhatsApp CRM also handles Instagram and Messenger?
Visito, Kommo, Wati, respond.io and Leadsales all bring Instagram and Messenger into the same inbox as WhatsApp.
Try Visito with your own messages
The fastest way to compare these tools is to run your real customer questions through them. Build a Visito agent from your website in a few minutes, connect WhatsApp and see how it handles the questions your team answers every day.
